An Account of Two Voyages to the South Seas

Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1988 2 volumes in a slip case. Translated from French and edited by Helen Rosenman. First U.S. Edition. Volume I subtitled "Astrolabe 1826-1829", 312 pages. Volume II subtitled "Astrolabe and Zélée 1737-1840. Conrad, p. 45. An important South Seas / Antarctic exploration report not translated until published in Australia in 1987. Voyages to Australia, New Zealand, Oceania 1826-1829 in the corvette Astrolabe and to the Straits of Magellan, Chile, southeast Asia, Australia, Antarctica and Torres Strait 1837-1840 in the corvettes Astrolabe and Zelee. Per Michael Rosove: "A large scale expedition, this French undertaking was contemporaneous with those of the Americans under Charles Wilkes and the British under James Clark Ross. All had the principal purpose of studying the earth's magnetism in the southern hemisphere and in the vicinity of the south magnetic pole. During the Antarctic summer season of 1837-38, Dumont d'Urville conducted surveys in region of the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. In the 1840 summer season he described a portion of the Antarctic mainland coast south of Australia, effecting a landing on a mainland offshore islet. The remainder of the voyage concerned exploration in more temperate latitudes. Many of the men aboard both ships died during an epidemic of dysentery." First U.S. Edition. Two volumes in publishers original beige cloth with red cloth spine labels stamped in gilt. Both volumes in near fine condition, housed in a VG cloth covered slip case.

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